Although the area around Búðardalur is rich in historical terms, the village is fairly new and very small. It is part of the Westfjords drive Road Trip and located at the enterance of the Westfjord Peninsula. The whole area is more like an agricultural and farming land. The whole region Dalir is bursting with places where dramatic events took place many centuries ago, and one can read about in the Icelandic Sagas. Laxdæla and Eiríkssaga are among the best known Sagas from this area.

Búðardalur is a small service village

The tiny village Búðardalur, with a population of less than 300, is located by one of the two main roads leading to the West Fjords. The first house was built here at the end of the 19th century to accommodate a store and the store owners home. In the first decades of the 20th century, a few houses were built, and also a Community center for the surrounding rural area. Although located on the coast, fishing or fish processing never developed in Búðardalur. The area is more of an agricultural area since there are many farms nearby. So at one point in time, a small Dairy processing plant was built in Búðardalur.

Most of the homes are fairly new

Most of the houses and homes in Búðardalur are from the fifties, sixties and seventies in the 20th century. The Cooperative Society in Iceland also opened a store and various services at that time. Most of the people who settled in the new and growing village worked in companies serving the rural area around Búðardalur.
Today the village is a part of the municipality, Dalabyggð. In recent years, many small rural districts and small towns in Iceland have merged into a larger municipality.

One of those small villages with all the basic services

Even though the village is quite small, it offers most of the basic service expected by any municipality. It has a school for its young residents, an all in one preschool, the primary and elementary school where children can also attend music lessons. Nearby at Laugar, there is a swimming pool and a sports center. In the Municipality Dalabyggð, there are four community centers and in Búðardalur a small harbor. In this tiny village, one can also find an art gallery and a local museum.

If you are going to visit the West Region in Iceland you might be looking for a places to stay. Here you can book from a selection of accommodationin the Búðardalur region.